1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus that facilitates boarding or exiting from a small watercraft, such as a kayak or canoe.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A difficulty with the use of small watercraft, such as kayaks or canoes, is that they tend to be unstable when the user is boarding or exiting. This is also the case when boarding from a dock or shore edge for launching. A technique commonly used by kayakers is the “paddle-bridge” approach which involves the use of a paddle to form a bridge between a dock or shore edge and kayak that helps stabilize the kayak for boarding. To use the “paddle-bridge” approach and various other similar techniques a kayaker needs to employ considerable skill and athleticism for kayak entry or exit where exiting a kayak is more difficult than entry, and both are more difficult yet when the elevation difference from the top of the dock or shore to the top of the kayak is more than a few inches. These levels of difficulty are often beyond the capabilities of people with reduced upper body strength and flexibility and novice kayakers.
An alternative to an unsuitable dock or shore line is entry/exit from a beach where the kayak is positioned part way up the beach thereby providing enough stability to enable the kayaker to step into the kayak much as one would into a flat bottom boat before assuming a sitting position. However, a suitable beach is often not available, and when it is, entry/exit from a beach usually entails the kayaker getting their feet wet.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,595,373; 4,862,818; and 7,182,032 disclose devices for clamping a paddle to the watercraft purporting to provide stabilization in open water or stabilization and anchoring in shallow water. However, the practicality of such devices for providing stability for entry or exit at a dock or shore is questionable and they do not provide for easy clamping or removal of the paddle.
My US patent application, Publication No. 20110297067 discloses a device that is attached to a dock for supporting and stabilizing a watercraft for entry and exit. However, this device is not readily portable and the user may wish to dock at locations where a device such as the above is not available, so that other means for stabilizing the watercraft at such other locations is desirable.
In view of the above, it would be desirable to provide watercraft users with a simple and inexpensive device that facilitates entry or exit at various locations.